1. W.J. Beal’s Long-Term Seed Viability Study: 1879-2012 Frank W. Telewski Professor, Dept. of Plant Biology Curator, W. J. Beal Botanical Garden & Campus Arboretum Michigan State University

2. Professor William James Beal, born March 11, 1833, Adrian, Michigan; died 1924. Attended Univ. of Michigan 1855- 1859 (A.B. degree) Taught natural sciences in Friend’s Academy, Union Springs, NY 1895- 1861 Attended Harvard 1861-1863 to study with Asa Gray, Louis Agassiz and Jeffried Wyman (S.B. degree)

3. Question: How long can seeds remain viable in the soil? Farmers needed weed control Mechanical removal (cultivation) No herbicides! Labor intensive

4. Experimental Design 21 different species selected 50 seeds of each Mixed in moderately moist sand Twenty lots (1-pint bottles filled with mix) Set upside-down, slanted, and buried uncorked on campus 2 species, oak and black walnut buried next to the bottles

5. In 1879 Prof. Beal buried 20 bottles containing 20 species of seed.

6. What was included in the bottles? Agrostemma githago- corncockle Amaranthus retroflexus- pigweed Ambrosia artemisifolia- ragweed Anthemis cotula- stinking chamomile Brassica nigra- black mustard Bromus secalinus- rye brome Capsella bursa-pastoris- shepherd's- purse Erechtites hieracifolia- American burnweed Euphorbia maculata- spotted spurge Lepidium virginicum- peppergrass Malva rotundifolia- Round-leaved Mallow Plantago major- broadleaved plantain Polygonum hydropiper- marshpepper knotweed Portulaca oleracea- Common Purslane Setaria glauca- yellow foxtail Stellaria media- chickweed Trifolium repens- white clover Verbascum thapsus- common mullein (Verbascum blattaria- moth mullein) Oenothera biennnis- evening primrose Rumex crispus- curly dock Thuja occidentalis- eastern white cedar

7. Time Periods Professor Beal (five years)- 1884-1909 Professor Darlington (five years)- 1914-1920 Professor Darlington (ten years)- 1930-1960 Drs. Kivilaan and Bandurski- (ten years) 1970- 1980 Drs. Telewski and Zeevaart- (20 years) 2000

8. What Germinated? After first 5 years, 13 species germinated Remained fairly constant until 30 th year By 60 th year, only Verbascum was germinating regularly. In year 100, both Verbascum and Malva germinated

9. 122 year-old biennials What Germinated in 2000? 25 Verbascum blattaria (50%) 1 Malva rotundifolia (2%) 5 more bottles left. Next bottle to be extracted? 2020

10. In 1998, 125 th anniversary of the founding of the W. J. Beal Botanical Garden, a new garden logo using the moth mullein flower to symbolize the contribution and longevity of Prof. Beal’s work, was adopted.